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tastybourbon's review against another edition
5.0
For the first few chapters of this book, I was annoyed that dialogue wasn't announced to the reader through the use of quotation marks. I think I was mostly annoyed by the thought that William Gay thought he had some sort of right to be different than almost everyone else. Despite a constant state of sleep deprivation, my brain quickly adjusted to being able to identify what was dialogue versus what was context and description of the setting, etc. The book settled into a lovely little rhythm that had an almost poetic touch to it with an intriguing contrast between the simple words and phrases used by most of the characters and the author's bountiful and vivid vocabulary. At first introduction, I thought I would hate all of the characters...over time this lovable little town of hillbillies grew on me, even the unforgivable ones. I usually hate teenagers facing coming-of-age stories but I think the reader can't help but root for seventeen-year-old Fleming Bloodworth in the hope that he will somehow be able to rise above the violence and pettiness that befalls most of his family members and the other characters of the town that one becomes acquainted with. The second half of the book was one of the most engrossing page-turning experiences of my life. So many things happen to so many different characters. It's as though a tidal wave develops and delivers a force of complex tragedy and irony. When the dust settled, I was left looking at an ugly little ball of hilarious suffering that was somehow beautiful at the same time. If I could just temporarily suspend my typical sarcastic frame of mind, I was also left with the slightest tinge of hope as I closed the book.
neven's review against another edition
4.0
Still a very good book with some strong anecdotes and heartbreaking prose as is typical of Gay. But while it's his best-known and best-reviewed novel, it seemed the most mainstream and debut-like to me. Just a bit too on the nose in parts. In any case, a worthwhile read.
ctgt's review against another edition
5.0
Somewhere out there in the dark beyond the levee the Mississippi rolled like something larger than life, like a myth, like a dream the world was having. Here the land was flat and the stars swung so close to earth they seemed foreign, in configurations he'd imagined but never quite seen. A whippoorwill called out of the musky dark in some language he'd never heard. Sin seemed so evil, so sweet.
I suppose most of you are like me and there are certain authors who speak to you.
For me, [a:William Gay|62659|William Gay|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1316108313p2/62659.jpg] is one of those authors. He is able to put me in a certain place and time, transport me right in to his story with his use of language, dialogue and character introspection.
The story of three generations of the Bloodworth family and their hard scrabble life in Ackerman's Field, Tennessee.
Love, loss, loneliness and violence with moments of tenderness. Life.
Came then plague days of desolation when loss ravaged him like a fever. The house was empty and dead without her. A place of ice, of perpetual winds. He heard her voice at odd times, echoes of things she'd said. He awoke once in the night and her soft laughter had just faded into silence. Once he distinctly felt her hand lie on his shoulder. Before she'd shared his bed, life had been pointless, but now it had become unbearable. She had appeared from nowhere and returned to it, but she'd taken over his life, left with a lien on his body, a mortgage on his soul.
10/10
I suppose most of you are like me and there are certain authors who speak to you.
For me, [a:William Gay|62659|William Gay|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1316108313p2/62659.jpg] is one of those authors. He is able to put me in a certain place and time, transport me right in to his story with his use of language, dialogue and character introspection.
The story of three generations of the Bloodworth family and their hard scrabble life in Ackerman's Field, Tennessee.
Love, loss, loneliness and violence with moments of tenderness. Life.
Came then plague days of desolation when loss ravaged him like a fever. The house was empty and dead without her. A place of ice, of perpetual winds. He heard her voice at odd times, echoes of things she'd said. He awoke once in the night and her soft laughter had just faded into silence. Once he distinctly felt her hand lie on his shoulder. Before she'd shared his bed, life had been pointless, but now it had become unbearable. She had appeared from nowhere and returned to it, but she'd taken over his life, left with a lien on his body, a mortgage on his soul.
10/10
tastybourbon's review against another edition
5.0
For the first few chapters of this book, I was annoyed that dialogue wasn't announced to the reader through the use of quotation marks. I think I was mostly annoyed by the thought that William Gay thought he had some sort of right to be different than almost everyone else. Despite a constant state of sleep deprivation, my brain quickly adjusted to being able to identify what was dialogue versus what was context and description of the setting, etc. The book settled into a lovely little rhythm that had an almost poetic touch to it with an intriguing contrast between the simple words and phrases used by most of the characters and the author's bountiful and vivid vocabulary. At first introduction, I thought I would hate all of the characters...over time this lovable little town of hillbillies grew on me, even the unforgivable ones. I usually hate teenagers facing coming-of-age stories but I think the reader can't help but root for seventeen-year-old Fleming Bloodworth in the hope that he will somehow be able to rise above the violence and pettiness that befalls most of his family members and the other characters of the town that one becomes acquainted with. The second half of the book was one of the most engrossing page-turning experiences of my life. So many things happen to so many different characters. It's as though a tidal wave develops and delivers a force of complex tragedy and irony. When the dust settled, I was left looking at an ugly little ball of hilarious suffering that was somehow beautiful at the same time. If I could just temporarily suspend my typical sarcastic frame of mind, I was also left with the slightest tinge of hope as I closed the book.
jamiereadthis's review against another edition
5.0
I’m going to go with the best way I know to put this. If you took what I love about Cormac McCarthy, and what I love about Justified, and what I love about home, the center of that Venn diagram is this book.
Meaning, there wasn’t a pleasure center in my brain this didn’t light up like Cleveland. Meaning, if there were any folks I’d bring to life out of a book it’s the Bloodworths out of this one.
* * *
January 2013: If this was my favorite book of 2011, and my favorite book of 2012, kicking the year off with it means it can be my favorite book of 2013 too, right? Just kidding. Trick question. There is no question.
I read this nine times this past year. Nine. I don’t know when I’ve had more of a favorite book. It puts its fingers on the keys and nails every chord.
Meaning, there wasn’t a pleasure center in my brain this didn’t light up like Cleveland. Meaning, if there were any folks I’d bring to life out of a book it’s the Bloodworths out of this one.
* * *
January 2013: If this was my favorite book of 2011, and my favorite book of 2012, kicking the year off with it means it can be my favorite book of 2013 too, right? Just kidding. Trick question. There is no question.
I read this nine times this past year. Nine. I don’t know when I’ve had more of a favorite book. It puts its fingers on the keys and nails every chord.
debshelf's review against another edition
3.0
Final book club pick of the year. I’m still trying to figure out what the title has to do with the novel itself. It’s about three generations of a particular family in Tennessee, but only the grandfather and the youngest boy are likeable. Flemming’s coming of age and his relationship with Raven Lee Halfacre are the most engaging parts of the book.
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